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Dalits are casteless individuals in the Indian caste system, also known as untouchables or outcasts. They are often assigned menial jobs and are considered social pariahs. Despite reforms and anti-discrimination legislation, many Dalits continue to face discrimination and work in low-paying jobs. Social justice organizations support Dalits and have made progress in improving their rights and status in modern India.
In the Indian caste system, a dalit is someone who is casteless. There are many other terms for dalits, including untouchables, outcasts, kanjjars, bhangi, harijans, and churas. “Dalit” is the more socially acceptable term, adopted to express the systemic impression that casteless people have endured over thousands of years of Indian culture. A number of organizations have lobbied to change the way Dalits are treated in Indian society, and a number of laws have been passed in an attempt to outlaw discrimination.
The caste system of India is quite complex and based on the Hindu religion, although people of all religions are divided into castes in India, along with many other nations. For thousands of years, caste was a crucial determinant of how someone fit into society, and the rigid system had no room for social climbing or anti-discrimination efforts. There are four castes in India, also known as varnas; people who do not fall into any caste are considered dalits, and their lack of caste turns them into social pariahs.
Since a dalit is essentially devoid of divinity, he may be assigned to menial jobs which the upper castes deem polluting. Dalits have traditionally participated in animal slaughter, garbage collection, sewage management and corpse handling. These polluting vocations only reinforce Dalit status, with upper castes forcing them to use different facilities and avoid handling or touching caste people. In some parts of India, Dalits were not even allowed to cast a shadow over the upper class members of Indian society.
In the twentieth century, Indian society has undergone numerous reforms, including a formal rejection of the caste system. In practice, this rejection has been difficult to enforce in some regions of India, as caste-driven social roles are so ingrained in Indian society. However, legislation against the caste system has granted Dalits greater civil rights, providing access to education, health care and social services. Unfortunately, many Dalits continue to do menial jobs, and some are slaves, essentially slaves who have to work to pay their debts.
Many social justice organizations support people with dalit status. Their efforts have made life as a Dalit much easier in modern India and laid the foundations for progressive anti-discrimination legislation. While the caste system in India is unlikely to disappear entirely, changes in Indian society allow people to move more freely in society, pursuing personal hopes and dreams as well as living in accordance with religious and cultural values.
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